The concepts herein encompass a method and a processor software for managing multimedia files. Other concepts herein also encompass a method and a software for managing the playback of multimedia files. The concepts herein also concern a system capable of managing the playback of multimedia files.
Software are known for managing multimedia files, for instance software for managing audio and video files. The known software make it possible to manage the playback of the files, for instance through the creation of playlists. Some known software make also it possible to assign labels (or tags) to one or several files with the purpose of classifying the files, grouping the files themselves, or making it possible to search for the audio files via that tag or label assigned thereto. Concerning audio file management, an example of a known software which makes it possible to assign tags to the files is represented by MediaMonkey™ software. Mediamonkey™ is a software which makes it possible to manage music libraries, to search for audio files within such music libraries, and to create playlists. Mediamonkey™ also makes it possible for users, by preset fields, to enter a plurality of information items in each individual audio file, including: author, record company, year, time or rhythm (slow, fast, etc.), album, user comment, song text, bpm, music genre, and others. Operationally wise, upon loading the files in the software, Mediamonkey™ usually recognizes and fills-in some of said fields automatically. As already said before, among the many features offered, Mediamonkey™ makes it possible to associate one or several terms or tags with one and the same file; the purpose of such terms is to characterize the files that they are associated with and on the basis of such terms it is also possible to search for the files in the music libraries. However, a drawback consists in that, usually, a search made on the basis of such terms identifies not only the audio files associated with these terms, but also those audio files which contain such terms in the remaining preset fields. Mediamonkey™ also makes it possible to set some fields customized by a user and it is then possible to also make searches in all fields available or, in order to prevent undesired results, in the customized fields only.
Furthermore, such software, likewise other known software, does not provide users with the possibility of further customizing their audio file management and playing experience. Software are known which allow for a user to select a start audio track or a type of audio track, play the track itself and subsequently, before the selected track ends being played, automatically propose or select one or several audio tracks for being played after the selected one, without any possibility (or with a minimum possibility) for a user to interact. Such audio tracks are automatically proposed or selected by the software on the basis of predetermined grouping or affinity or similarity criteria with the track selected by the user (for instance in terms of music genre, artist, etc.). Software are also known which make it possible for users to realize customized playing lists, the users themselves selecting the specific attributes of the files to be put in such lists. Finally Internet sites are known which offer already classified multimedia contents and make it possible for registered users to provide a feedback to the site administrators about some characteristics of said multimedia files.
However, such software do not allow a playback management that is optimal and in line with the users' needs or sensibility.